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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24279904">I Promise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune'>kristsune</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Its magic, M/M, handwaving technology because i can, soft and sappy, sorry i dont make the rules, tattooing, there's magic okay, these two are just soft and gay, very very subtle d/s tendencies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:08:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24279904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Carter wants a tattoo, and Barnes gives it to him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Commander Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This goes out to the server yet again, because y'all are wonderful &lt;3 special shout out again to Louffox and Felineladyy who gave me the initial idea.</p>
<p>Title is from a Radiohead song.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Howard was indulging in one of his favorite pastimes, which was tracing his fingers along any of Barnes’ tattoos within his reach. Currently it was the anchor he had on his forearm. “Did they hurt?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes’ eyes fluttered open at Howard’s question, he hadn’t been asleep, but just zoning out at the relaxing touch, “Yeah, but not too bad. Depends on the area really.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard continued his ministrations, “I had always wanted one, but I never knew what I wanted to get, and I was afraid it would hurt too much. I imagine there is nothing worse than a half finished tattoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could give you one. If you wanted.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard looked up at Barnes, hand stilling in the middle of the anchor, “Really? Even if I whine about it the entire time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes smiled softly, and gently cupped his cheek, “Even if you whine about it the entire time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m ready.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes looked to the package Howard set on the table, before looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For the tattoo. I mean.. If you, still wanted to. If you didn’t that’s fine, it was an easy grab any-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes held up his hand in a simple practiced gesture, one that Howard always responded to so well, and immediately stopped talking. He opened the package to see a higher end tattoo gun, and a selection of other supplies. Barnes knew better than to ask where Howard had swiped it from, but he did have to commend his taste, this might go easier than he expected it to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes put the package down and stood up, and stepped into Howard space, resting both of his hands on Howard’s upper arms. “Of course I still want to, I wouldn’t have said yes otherwise. Have you thought about what you wanted?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard gave him a quick smile before reaching up and pulling aside Barnes’ mostly open shirt to reveal the stylized blue wave on his chest, “I … I’d like a match to this, if I could.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That… that hit Barnes right behind his ribs, giving him that fluttery feeling he was starting to get used to, whenever Howard did or said something particularly romantic, or sweet, or something just so uniquely </span>
  <em>
    <span>Howard</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes’ hands slid over Howard’s shoulders to rest on either side of his neck, thumb just swiping along his jaw, “I can absolutely do that for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes settled on Howard’s hips, who was currently laying down on the bed with his shirt off but otherwise clothed. Barnes had set up a small side table with the sterilized equipment next to him. It had been some time since he had done any tattooing, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> long. He had learned whilst in the navy. It was a handy skill to learn, and Barnes had always enjoyed sketching, it seemed like the natural progression; besides, it was an easy way to earn favors. Barnes had actually been in high demand for quite some time, before everything went to shit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhh- yes? I mean, I guess as ready as I’ll ever be? You said this wasn’t too sensitive of an area, yeah? It shouldn’t be too bad?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes interrupted with a firm but gentle tone before Howard could work himself into a panic, “It’s going to hurt, but it won’t be too bad. Just place your hands on my thighs so you have something to grip, and breathe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard nodded, and Barnes began. He started by activating the tattoo gun (an even higher model than he had initially realized, had its own tiny elemental inside, Barnes wasn’t sure how it worked, and wasn’t about to ask) and started to go to work. He was impressed that Howard barely flinched at first contact, despite the gasp, and tight grip on his thighs. But Barnes knew already that he wouldn’t be able to endure the entire tattoo like this. Not only would it hurt worse the more Howard tensed, but he really did hate the idea of Howard being miserable for the entire time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes dipped the needle in ink, “Breathe, Howie.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard took a deep breath in, still trying to stay as still as possible. “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes realized that the only thing that was likely going to help, would be to distract Howard. To do that, he should just have to ask a leading question or two, which would get him talking and not thinking. He loved this ridiculous man, but talking and thinking were not things he did at the same time well. “Why don’t you tell me something? I know you worked in archeology before all this; how did you get into that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, well, that’s actually a pretty simple story-” And that was how Barnes learned that Howard grew up in Swaffham (the youngest of </span>
  <em>
    <span>eleven children</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which, honestly explained some things), and had been introduced to Egyptian artefacts from a neighbor’s collection. How everything Egyptian had captivated, and enthralled him from that point on, and he knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He also delved into how his career started off well, but just one thing went wrong after another, continuing to fall apart til there was almost nothing left; funding cut or diverted elsewhere. So he started to take the skills he had, and honed them to a life of theft, and slight of hand, learning a bit of magic along the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-and it really is amazing how many knives one can hide on one’s person.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All set.” Barnes interrupted with a last swipe of alcohol across the new wave on Howard’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, really? Already? How’s it look?” Howard leaned up unto his elbows to try and get a better look but just hissed and leaned back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes smiled fondly, and shook his head; leave it to his Howard to not think that movement through at all. Barnes gently pressed down on his collarbone to keep him laying flat. “You need to rest. We can get Zolf to heal you tomorrow, to let the ink settle, and not get disrupted but the healing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Howard looked up at him with a worried, questioning look, “Does it match?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve matched for awhile now.” Barnes found that he couldn’t stop the sappy, romantic things that just fell out of his mouth when they were alone. But with the soft expression that Howard was giving him, the expression of a man who rarely received anything except for scorn and put downs, made those sappy words worth it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barnes finished putting away the equipment - the tattoo gun might come in handy again - before laying down next to Howard. He placed his head on his tattoo free side, so Howard could stay laying on his back, and Howard’s arm wrapped around him instinctively. They were always wrapped up together when they were actually allowed a moment's respite from attempting to save the world. Luckily they should have another day or two’s rest before the next mission, the next chance to lose each other, the next chance to fail the world. Or, the next chance to save it. With Howard breathing evenly next to him, he was determined to make it the latter. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feel free to stop by and visit on <a href="https://kristsune.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/Kristsune">twitter!</a></p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24384706">I Promise [Podfic]</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/vogelwrites/pseuds/vogelreads">vogelreads (vogelwrites)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div></div></div>
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